engle



(No Model.)

J. W. TURNER & J. H. ENGLE,

VENTILATED BOOT 0R SHOE.

$10,485,243. Patented N07. 1, 1892.

Jssce "66b. 4102 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JESSEE XVEBB TURNER AND JOHN H. ENGLE, OF LOUISIANA, MISSOURI.

VENTILATED BOOT OR SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,243, dated November1, 1892.

Application filed April 22, 1892.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J ESSEE WEBB TURNER and JOHN H. ENGLE, of the cityof Louisiana, Pike county, and State of Missouri, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Ventilating Boots orShoes, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming apart hereof.

Our invention relates to devices for ventilating boots or shoes; and itconsists in the novel construction, combination, and relativearrangement of parts hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of aboot or shoe constructed in accordance with our invention, portionsbeing broken away. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the heel,taken on line a: a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the inner soleinverted, parts of the same being broken away. Fig. 4 isa perspectiveview of a removable steel covering-plate made use of in carrying out theinvention. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a metallic valve-casing, andFig. 6 is a perspective view of a valve or slide detached from thecasing.

The object of our invention is to provide an improved construction ofeither boots or shoes which will enable air to be passed through anopening in the forward end of the heel, thence upward and into suitablechannels formed in the under side of the inner sole, and thence upwardthrough suitable apertures t0 the foot of the wearer, the circulation ofair being produced by the motion of the foot in the act of walking.

1 indicates the outer sole of the boot or shoe, 2 the sheet of fillingmaterial located above the said outer sole, and 3 the inner sole.

A vertical ventilating-cell 4:, having an open upper end and closedlower end, is formed in the heel 5 and the outer sole of the shoe abovethe heel. Extending forwardly from the ventilating-cell 4 (which cellshould be of considerable size and capacity) is a horizontal passage, inwhich is located and securely fixed a short metallic tube 6. The outerend of this tube passes through or connects with an aperture 7, formedin the metallic valve-casing 8, which latter is firmly located andsecured in a recess or socket 9, formed in the Serial No. 430,217. (Nomodel.)

forward edge of the heel 5, so that an open passage-way will be providedfrom the said forward edge of the heel to the interior of the boot orshoe.

The valve-casin g Sis preferably constructed of a suitable sheet ofmetal of the required size, bent to form forwardly-extending flanges atits upper and lower edges, and the free edges of these flanges areprovided with opposite inwardly-extending marginal projections 10, thepurpose of which latter is to retain in position a sliding valve 11,which is located in said casing and adapted to be moved into contactwith one end or the other of the socket 9 and to open or close theopening 7 in the casing.

12 indicates suitable nail or screw holes formed in the rear side ofeasing 8 for the purpose of securing same in place in the socket 9. Thevalve 11 is provided with a suitable handle or projection upon itsforward face to permit its being slid in the casing during operation.

Formed in the heel of the inner sole 3 is a preferably-circular aperture13, having tapering walls and being of greater diameter than theventilating-cell 4. The aperture 13 is normally closed by a tapering orconical plug 14, which is adapted to be removed when it is desired togain access to and remove collections of dirt and other material fromthe ventilating-cell. Formed in the under surface of the plug 11 isashort horizontal channel l5, and said cell extends to the forward edgeof said plug and communicates with horizontal channel 16, formed in theunder side of the inner sole 3, for the purpose presently made known.The plug 14 is provided with a central perforation l7 and a peripheralperforation 18, and said central perforation communicates with thechannel in the plug for the purpose hereinafter mentioned. Of course anadditional number of perforations, such as 17, may be made in the plug14 or in the inner sole above and adjacent to the-cell 4, if so desired.

19, 20, and 21 is a series of horizontalchannels formed upon the undersurface of the inner sole 3 and extending therein longitudinally andparallel to each other. The channels are connected at their ends andconnected at their rear end to the forward end of the channel 16. Aseries of perforations or vertical air-passages 22 is formed in theinner sole 3, and each communicates with the interior of the boot orshoe and with one of the parallel channels.

23 indicates a combined covering-plate and spring-shanl ,..which islocated between the insole 3 and the filling material 2 and the rear endwhereof terminates closely adjacent the apertures in the heel of saidinsole and the forward end of which terminates adjacent the junction ofthe channel 16 and the channels formed in the forward portion .of theinsole. 'The function of this steel plate 23 is, primarily, to cover andclose up the channel 16 and prevent it from becoming filled withobstructing material. The plate 23 also acts as a metallic spring-shank,the function of which is well known and need not be further explained.The plate 23 is preferably secured to the under side oft-he insole inthe position just described by means of suitable pegs or rivets passedthrough apertures 24, formed in said plate near to the respective endsof same. (See Fig. 4.) 1

The filling material 2, it will be observed, covers the parallelchannels 19,720, and. 21,

and thus prevents them from becoming filled with obstructing substancesin a manner similar to that in which the steel covering-plate 23protects the channel 16.

Other portions of the boot or shoe which we have not mentioned form noportion of our invention, and therefore need not be described. 7

From the foregoing it will be seen that we have produced an improvedconstruction for the thorough ventilation of boots 'or shoes and thedistribution of fresh air upon the interior of the same.

The invention will be found to have a good sanitary effect upon thesystem of the wearer, preventing ina great measure perspiration andundue heating of the parts in warm weather.

The operation is as follows: The parts belng situated in the relativepositions shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and the boot or shoe in position uponthe foot of the wearer, circulation of air through the shoe will beproduced by the motion of the foot in the act of walking, air enteringpast the valve 11, passing through tube 6 to the cell 4, thence upwardthrough the apertures 17 and 18 and also by way of channel 15 in plug 14into the rear endof channel16, thence 'into channels 19, 20, and 21, andupward through the seriesof apertures 22. It will be observed thattheseries of aper-' tures 22 is distributed over a' considerable portionof the surface of the insole, which distributes the air over acomparatively-large portion of the surface of the bottom of the foot,and of course the motion of the foot within the boot or shoe in the actof walking will act in a manner similar to an air-pump,

drawing in air and forcing it out again through the parts abovementioned. If so desired, the system of channels (indicated by 19, 20,and 21) may be somewhat extended and increased in number, so as to covera greater portion of the surface of the boot or shoe sole and beconnected with the supplychannel 16. When it. is desired to close thepassage from the outer air to the cell 4, the valve 11 is moved by meansof the handle attached thereto so as to cover the opening at the outerend of tube 6. This of course should only be done in wet or rainyweather for the purpose of preventing ingress of water and moisture tothe said cell.

WVe do not desire to limit ourselves to the exact construction of partsherein shown, but reserve the right to all such modifications as maybemade without departing from the scope of our invention. For instance,the casing 8 may be differently constructed; also, the valve 11 may bechanged in slight details.

Vhat We claim is 1. Thecombination, with the heel and sole of a boot orshoe provided with ventilatingchannels, channels 4 and 6, communicatingdisposed in said opening above the channel 4, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

2. As an improvement in boots or shoes,

'the combination, with the sole provided with ventilating-channels andthe heel provided with channel 6 and the channel 4, connecting thelatter with the sole-channels, of an insole provided with a verticalopening inrthe heel

